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Monday, November 29, 2010

Ok, so if you wanna talk about dorky passions, I am a self confessed Gladiators fan. I loved the Australian "Gladiators" series back in the 90's but the reboot in 2007 was pretty weak; I do have to admit though that the US reboot of American Gladiators on FOX was pretty damn cool. I mean, it had my favourite female kickboxer Gina Carano at the helm, AND.. a reworked Nerf sponsored version of the game "Assault".

Nerf might not endorse mods themselves, but when it comes to building custom high powered blasters for cheesy gameshows.. it's not really a mod per se:P (and people say ball blasters are for wussies..)

High powered Nerf and chicks? Awesome:P Check these 'blasters' out and the Nerf logos all over 'em:)

Sunday, November 28, 2010

The Sonic Series is merely an aesthetic reshell of some of Nerf's existing N-Strike blaster range. We don't know why 'sonic' constitutes translucent green, and I was a lil' dubious in the first place at Nerf's colour choice, but I HAVE to admit.. they look amazing, both in photos and in person. Beauty IS in the eye of the beholder though, and I'm sure they're not for everyone but for those of you who've written to us for more pics of the mighty Vulcan EBF-25.. here you go:)

Saturday, November 27, 2010

The most enigmatic of all the new 2010 blaster range would have to be the Barricade RV-10; it's publicity was almost completely fueled by rumours and fanfare rather than any real advertising or marketing push. We managed to get our hands on one in August but it wasn't long till it became readily available in several other countries worldwide..except the US. I gotta admit, this would have to be a first, and a rather bizarre decision by Nerf given for all intended purposes the US is their home turf?!

Well, it looks like the wait is finally over for our American pals; Nerf Mods and Reviews got their hands on one and it looks like the initial response is pretty good. $16.88 US at Walmart- almost half the price of what we've got 'em here in Australia. That's pretty typical though:(

The shells of the new Sonic Series aren't the only thing green:) A few days ago, Hasbro (the manufacturers of Nerf) made a press release regarding their values and strategies towards sustainability:

"Beginning in 2011, the Company will eliminate all wire ties from its packaging. In addition, for 2011 the Company has set a goal that at least 75 percent of its paper packaging will be derived from recycled material or sources that practice sustainable forest management."

I've noticed over the past few months that the new 2010 line of blasters (and any of the older blasters with updated packaging) have done away with the traditional metal/plastic twist ties and replaced them with paper string; much to the relief of parents everywhere (when you get a new toy, you wanna play with it NOW, not wait for 10 minutes untying all that crap!!)

On opening my new Sonic Series Vulcan and Recon, I've noticed Nerf have gone one step further and done away with ties all together- it's now just cardboard holding the blaster in place. Niiice! And it's not even 2011 yet!

Friday, November 26, 2010

A stroll past my local Toys R Us (Belconnen, ACT) had me spot the new Sonic Series on shelves. Lots of them. So far they've got Recons, Mavericks and Vulcans. Funnily enough, NO Deploys. Wonder what it is with Deploys and Australia:P

Vulcan EBF 25 for $89, Recon for $49.95. Sorta over priced, but it IS Toys R Us and given the fact it's exclusive.. I guess they can do what they want with the prices.

It's all good and well to have a fully automatic blaster that can pump out the rounds quickly, but when it comes to dart tag, it's the single shot fire that'll get the win every time. So we figured we'd test the unreleased '20' out for single shot mode to see how it fares.

This is where the jams occur; I'm not sure the motor is really designed to be SO stop -and- start. So whereas with full burst automatic fire we experienced very little dart jams, in single shot mode we probably ended up with on average 3-4 darts misfiring or jamming. Anyone have this experience with their Stampedes or Vulcans?

This has been hot news over the past month, when a certain youtube clip started making the rounds of a new leaked (and unnamed) Nerf blaster. At this stage it is being referred to as the 'Nerf Dart Tag 20' blaster, mainly because the etchings on the side of the blaster say 'Nerf', 'Dart Tag' and '20':)

We go to great lengths to bring you genuine news and information on blasters as they come and we've managed to be able to score ourselves a unit to review...which we're pretty happy with. Soo.. here we go!

One of our initial test shots using sucker darts, about 8 metres away. (The darts are on their way out to be honest, I just love the green camo so can't bring myself to use anything else for now)

The blaster CAN jam like any other Nerf blaster, but it's normally to do with the darts you use and the way they're inserted; I've tested it with multiple types of darts and I find whistlers are probably the best (or the dart tag velcro tipped ammo). SO far I've gone through nearly 100 rounds and batteries still seem to be going strong.

Ahh all it takes is a few dumb asses and it makes the media.. i'm pretty sure any form of modification to any product can be dangerous.Damn straight Nerf can be dangerous, how many paper cuts have I gotten from the packaging alone?!:P

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Here it is folks; some detailed close ups of the much hyped and anticipated new Nerf Dart Tag blaster. Our contacts in Taiwan have forwarded us through some fantastic intel on what looks like Bumblebee's arm cannon (and I really would not be surprised if this does have some form of movie tie-in when it IS released) and we here at Urban Taggers are pretty excited at the prospect of getting our hands on one. But for now.. on with the pics!

Monday, November 22, 2010

Our contacts in Taiwan have managed to get their hands on the unreleased Super Soaker we posted about a few weeks ago and have sent through some nice pics of what looks to be called the 'Thunderstorm'. It's bringing back the electronic water blasters that were oh so popular in the 80's.. and all I can say aesthetically at least, it's pretty damn hot.. The unit also looks like it's ready to be released which is pretty exciting..

Is the Barrel Break IX-2 any good? Personally we've stayed away from non-Nerf foam blasters, but the one blaster that is commonly mentioned as being on par if not better than the Nerf variety is the Buzz Bee Doubleshot. Nerf Mods + Reviews has a pretty tidy head to head comparison between the two, and while it's in the modded realm, it's still a great read.

Sunday, November 21, 2010

We're doing our best to keep you up to date on the latest blaster intel; we've confirmed the Sonic Series Recon CS-6 hitting the US stores a few days ago, now we've also got eyes that confirm the Maverick.. for $10.99US. Props to you again Dave!

Software developer Ubisoft got a crazy panning a few months ago when they announced their self-described "hybrid" toy/game "Battle Tag". It's essentially a laser tag setup but one that gives you more than just the 'run and gun' blasting that we're accustomed to. Battle Tag incorporates some FPS style features such as health packs, ammo crates, and multiple game modes that you can customise via software and hook it up to your PC.

Well, after the dust has settled, they're going to do a soft release of the 2 player start up kid at 15 Toys R Us stores in Houston and Austin, Texas to test the US Market. A week later they'll be available in Canada. $129.00 which sounds reasonable price wise, or a total rip off, depending on which camp you sit in for this sort of thing. I have to admit.. I'm keen:)

Friday, November 19, 2010

As spotted by one of our Urban Taggers readers, Sonic Series are now appearing on shelves in the US. He sent through a pic of the above Recon CS-6 on shelf at his local Toys R Us. Looks pretty well priced too! Thanks for the intel, Dave!

Thursday, November 18, 2010

In celebration of Alpha Troopers making it to our shores Down Under, we've decided to put up some pics of AT configurations. The Alpha Trooper CS-18 is very rapidly becoming the blaster of choice for many Nerfers given it's sheer versatility, out of the box performance, Slam fire and a very cool 18 round drum. On the most part, it serves it's purpose well as is.. but of course.. with all N-Strike blasters, there's room for customising to suit your individual requirements..

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Bravo team realised their desert camo uniforms clashed with their Nerf

A few days ago I got talking with one of my neighbours whom I got into Nerf, and he made a suggestion to get his boys together and challenge us to a 5 a side underground carpark battle downstairs. Now..although I stood firm on my "I don't Nerf war outdoors" tilt, I did considered this challenge and thought to myself... "well..a downstairs underground carpark isn't outdoors per se...".

So here's my question: If you were needed to assemble a 5 person squad for an L shaped 26 space underground carpark firefight "last man standing" battle (3 shot kills, or 1 shot to the head).. what kind of Nerfers would you need, and what blasters and gear would you equip them with? Would you just go "give me 5 of my mates who shoot the best" and not care what blasters they used, or are you more the tactical ops type and impose roles on your troops? (our selections posted soon)

Sunday, November 14, 2010

I spotted this on the unofficial, and thus mods-a-plenty Nerf page. J Wilson Jr does some seriously cool mods, and this is one of the hottest Stampedes I've seen. Not that I understand what most of this is, but other than the obvious aesthetic mods, he's done " double springs,bigger o-ring,AR'S removed,18 volt mod,silver green,and black paint,with 3 coats of clear coat and my skull logo, all kill switches wired to one switch "

Saturday, November 13, 2010

Nerf's N-Strike line aren't the only blasters receiving the battery powered treatment. Behold the Nerf Super Soaker Thunderstorm; a fully automatic water blaster. From what I can gather, it has N-Strike compatible tactical rails, runs on 4 AA batteries and comes with a water "clip", much like the way the CS series go. It can support all N-Strike stocks as well, and the clip looks like it's got a belt clip to attach to your boardies.

Electronic water blasters have never really been that fantastic for range and performance, so it'll be interesting to see if Nerf can do any better. More intel as I find out more!

There's a guy selling one on ebay, however it is out of packaging and "as is" so the asking price for $120US is a little steep.

Friday, November 12, 2010

Attachments mix and matches for the week. I begin with, well one of my own; I just picked up another Longstrike on the cheap yesterday, with the plan to NOT attach the stock because I think it looks tougher. Not as comfortable mind you, but for this exercise, it's aesthetics first- I'm a show-y lad:)

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Ok where are my priorities?! Call of Duty: Black Ops is one of the most anticipated video games of 2010 and expected to top the king of first person shooters, it's predecessor Modern Warfare 2. One of the ways to pre-order the game was the special "Prestige Edition", which along with various other things, comes with a radio controlled vehicle, modeled after an explosive device in the game. Although it doesn't explode, it DOES come with an on board video surveillance camera in its nose which transmits back to the controller.

I'm not much of a first person shooter fan to be honest-in fact I royally suck at them, but I've had an interest in these games, mainly because there has always been a link between those who see COD as an inspiration for their love of Nerf. This time around though, my purchase of Black Ops has almost nothing to do with the game; my priorities are with the RC car...and that's what I'll be writing about in this post:)

I'm not sure I can get more "official" than this. A stroll through my local Target, Canberra Centre had me seeing several boxes of Barricade RV-10's on the shelf, not to mention several more sitting on a storage cage in the next aisle. $34 AUS.

Youtube Nerf affectionado "Kevinericon" always has a great 'in' on the newest Nerf gear around. Check this video out and tell me that doesn't make you just a LIL' bit excited. No sticker logos suggests it might be a pre-release model (and he has no comments or details on this blaster in the description thus far) but the Dart Tag logo etched/embossed in the plastic suggests it's Nerf.

From what we can tell from the vid, it's fully automatic (more like the power up when you fire like the Vulcan vs the constant flywheel whirling of the Barricade or air pressure like the Magstrike), has a detachable stock and an awesome rotating barrel that fires 20 rounds of foam dart goodness.. UPDATE: Apparently it takes 6 C cell batteries. More news as I come of it..

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Today, and (probably for the rest of the week) will be pretty quiet for us here at Urban Taggers; mainly because Call of Duty: Black Ops was released and ALL of my fellow tagger/blaster cohorts have locked themselves in their houses for the past 15 hrs and are incommunicado other than through gaming headsets.

It also shows in our user stats; we just had a massive dip by almost half in readership today:P Had me somewhat worried and I was wondering what was going on..and then it hit me when I couldn't get a hold of any of my male friends all morning!

Ahh well. Gives me time to get onto some new content for the blog for the later part of the week. Personally my copy of the game doesn't arrive till Thursday, and even then I only got it for the radio controlled car:)

Sunday, November 7, 2010

We brought it up a few weeks ago that we believe the Nerf's Sonic Series exist; however to date the only pics I've seen were from the leaked images floating about which has had me shy of wanting to make a big deal out of it. Now on toysrus.com they've got actual pics of the units and confirmed pricing and availability, albeit only for pre-order at this stage. It IS going to be a Toys R Us exclusive as we guessed. More pics after the jump (images from toysrus.com US's website- thanks to all who emailed me throughout the night with this info)

Thursday, November 4, 2010

It's hot! It's new! It's..a..hatchet! For the inner Iroquois in you, Nerf have released their new N-Force Klaw Hatchet. I picked up a pair of these today from an etailer in the US, and have spent the past hour or so flapping around like a chicken, dual wielding these puppies against the pigeons outside.

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Nerf's Barrel Break IX-2 is an interesting blaster in that OFFICIALLY it's semi automatic.. but you feel stupid saying that given it only fires off two rounds. It has versatility in that you can fire off those two rounds either one AFTER the other, or both at the same time. But.. it's still.. only two rounds. SO what would happen if you dual wielded a pair of them? Well to put it bluntly.. you'd have.. 4 rounds.

The Nerf Powerclip DX-1000 was a 10 round air pressure powered fully automatic blaster that came out in the early part of the decade and can easily be described as a predecessor to the Magstrike AS-10. It also used a 10 round clip that rapidly advanced upwards but unlike the Magstrike, the clip was not removable. Although discontinued, it is still a very powerful, formidable blaster that holds its own in any Nerf battle.

More awesome custom paintjobs on deviantART, this time from "bcjfla76". The Alpha Trooper is uber drool worthy. Don't think he does anything to the internals, but aesthetically he's got maaaad skillz:)

Monday, November 1, 2010

The main appeal of the Barricade RV-10 (the upcoming worst-kept-secret-ever blaster), is the fact it is a hand held semi-automatic blaster that can shoot a decent 10 rounds without requiring any priming. This in turn lends itself to the muchas desirable dual wielding John Woo movie style, which is just a crazy fan favourite amongst.. well pretty much everyone.

The main disadvantage of the Barricade RV-10 is the ridiculous noise that comes from the electric flywheel firing mechanism.

Now.. comes the test we've all been waiting for..how does it feel dual wielding TWO Barricade RV-10s?

I don't know a whole lot about warhammer, but..this is inspired by it:)

Browsing through deviantart for Nerf I found this custom paint gallery from "Meanandmunch" and found it VERY cool. His paint jobs are just awesome (albeit the photos are so good they almost look like they've been painted in Photoshop) and he sells them on ebay. Take a look. Drool. Look again.:)

Our friends at Basic Nerf just featured a mad promo video of a Nerf Stampede launch party; if you're going to launch a product, this is a fantastic way to do it. It's in a similar vain to last year's Raider CS-35 launch.. but a lil freakier:)

The Nerf Rapidfire AS-20 is the largest capacity air pressure blaster in the N-Strike range, although historically it had existed for several years prior to the N-Strike banner (albeit with a different colour scheme). As the name suggests, the Rapidfire AS-20 boasts 20 foam dart rounds in a fully automatic flurry of air pressure powered madness which is still pretty awesome, even against the likes of newer blasters like the Vulcan and Stampede.

A toy blaster resource; from a kidult's perspective living in an Australian inner city apartment. Focusing on out- of- the- box foam dart, laser tag and water guns with the odd two player co-op game thrown in for good measure:)